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AxNV DSA - Design Awards

The AIA Nevada Design Awards celebrate outstanding architecture with the highest levels of innovation, creativity, vision, and design excellence. This program not only sets the standard for exceptional design in Nevada but also serves to educate the public about the pivotal role of architecture in enhancing and uplifting our communities.

In a commitment to recognizing projects that epitomize the very best in Nevada's architectural landscape, we seek designs that are sustainable, innovative, and meticulously crafted. With a panel of esteemed professionals bringing varied insights and proficiency, every submission is examined in light of the project team's objectives and assessed for its innovative solution to those goals.

The final selections of the jury are unveiled at our AxNV DSA Gala. Award-winning projects then receive promotion throughout the Nevada community, fostering a continual public enthusiasm for architectural excellence.

LAKE-TAHOE-LAKEFRONT
LAKE-TAHOE-LAKEFRONT

AxNV DSA - Design Awards

The AIA Nevada Design Awards celebrate outstanding architecture with the highest levels of innovation, creativity, vision, and design excellence. This program not only sets the standard for exceptional design in Nevada but also serves to educate the public about the pivotal role of architecture in enhancing and uplifting our communities.

In a commitment to recognizing projects that epitomize the very best in Nevada's architectural landscape, we seek designs that are sustainable, innovative, and meticulously crafted. With a panel of esteemed professionals bringing varied insights and proficiency, every submission is examined in light of the project team's objectives and assessed for its innovative solution to those goals.

The final selections of the jury are unveiled at our AxNV DSA Gala. Award-winning projects then receive promotion throughout the Nevada community, fostering a continual public enthusiasm for architectural excellence.

LAKE-TAHOE-LAKEFRONT
LAKE-TAHOE-LAKEFRONT

Design Award Levels

Submitting for our Awards? Here’s how the levels break down. Whichever level best fits your project, our jury evaluates submissions across creativity, context, sustainability, and design intent.

Excellence in Design Award

Eligible projects may be recognized for their integration of sustainable design excellence through the incorporation of AIA's Framework for Design Excellence principles.

Honor Award

Highest possible honor, recognizing the absolute highest level of design excellence and quality. Unanimous jury approval required.

Merit Award

High level of recognition, granted to projects exhibiting distinguished design achievements. Awarded by consensus of jury.

Citation Award

Notable recognition of significant accomplishments in particular aspects of design. Awarded by consensus of jury.

Project Categories

Submitting for our Awards? Here’s how the levels break down. Our jury evaluates submissions across creativity, context, sustainability, and design intent.

Commercial Architecture - Built

This category recognizes buildings designed for retail, office, industrial, or other commercial business purposes. Eligible projects may include corporate offices, shopping centers, factories, warehouses, and other commercial real estate.

Institutional Architecture - Built

This category recognizes buildings designed for education, healthcare, government, cultural, religious, or other institutional purposes. Eligible projects may include schools, universities, hospitals, museums, theaters, churches, civic centers, and related facilities that serve the institution's objectives.

Hospitality Architecture - Built

This category recognizes hotels, resorts, restaurants, casinos, clubs, tourism facilities, and other hospitality-focused projects. Eligible submissions may include a wide range of tourism, leisure, and entertainment-oriented real estate.

Residential Architecture - Built

This category recognizes single family homes, multi-family housing, and mixed-use residential buildings. Eligible projects range from private residences to apartments, condominiums, townhouses, and other housing types.

Interior Architecture - Built

This category recognizes interior design projects as a whole or as an element within a larger project in new or existing buildings. Eligible submissions include commercial, residential, hospitality, and institutional interior designs.

Unbuilt Architecture

Recognizes excellence in unbuilt, conceptual projects, including all categories that fall in the built architecture category.

Academic Project

Category is open only to students student currently enrolled in an architecture class for academic credit within the Nevada System of Higher Education or a recently graduated student who completed their project while enrolled in an architecture program, and who is now residing in Nevada. The project must have been completed within the last academic year, between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026.

Sustainable Design Excellence

This optional opt-in category recognizes a project that demonstrates commitment to sustainable design through AIA/COTE Framework for Design Excellence. To be eligible, you must fill out the Common App for Design Excellence and upload it with your project submission. Projects are not judged because they achieve excellence with each measure, but by how they effectively address one or more categories.

How to Submit An Entry

Learn the simple steps to submit your project for consideration in our annual design awards, including eligibility, deadlines, and required materials.

1

Review Call for Entries & Purchase Entry

Purchase an entry below under your desired Project Category. Use the Call for Entries as a guide to ensure you meet all qualifications.

Call for Entries

2

Submit Entry/Team Form

When you have purchased an entry, you may proceed to fill out the form. One form is required per entry.

Submit Form

3

Design Award Submission Form

Final step in submitting your Project Entry is uploading all required information through the Design Award Submission Form.

Submit Form
Resources
Click to View Previous Design Award Recipients

See some of the work previously recognized by AIA Nevada for its Excellence in Design.

Click for the Common App for Design Excellence

AIA Nevada has launched a Sustainable Design Excellence category as a free and optional add-on to other Design Awards. To be considered, entries must submit the Common App for Design Excellence. Click the title to download the form.

Call For Design Entries

The Architecture Nevada Awards Call for Design Entries invites architects and design teams to submit projects that demonstrate innovation, impact, and excellence in the built environment

Purchase An Entry

Register your project for the Architecture Nevada Awards and be part of a statewide celebration of design excellence.